WORK to protect the Garendon Green area of Loughborough from flooding is to begin in the new year.

On Monday, January 5, Severn Trent Water engineers will start work on a £670,000 investment to lay new larger sewers and storm water storage tanks.

Residents in the area have long been plagued by flooding issues, with one elderly resident having to pick up human excrement from her garden after her drains overflowed in 2009.

Severn Trent Water senior programme engineer, Chris Keys, said: “Our sewers in Garendon Road and Garendon Green have served the local community well for many years, but they’re now struggling to cope during heavy rainstorms, putting our customers at risk of sewer flooding.

“So to help protect homes and businesses in the area, we’re investing £670,000 to install new, larger sewers and storm water storage tanks.

“Anyone who’s suffered sewer flooding will know that it’s a very unpleasant experience, so it’s important that we replace the sewers sooner rather than later.

“Work begins on Monday, January 5 in fields between Garendon Green, Ashby Crescent and Garendon Road.

“This means that there’ll be no road closures and we’ll only need to use temporary traffic lights for a short while on Garendon Green and Garendon Road, so work will be carried out with little disruption to the local community.

“We’ve been working closely with Leicestershire County Council’s highways department and Charnwood Borough Council to plan this essential work.

“We expect the new sewers and storm water storage tanks will be in place before May.

“We’d like to say thanks to the local community for its ongoing patience and assure them that when our work is complete, the benefits will be felt for years and years to come.”

The new storage tanks and sewers will be put in by the company’s contract partner, NMCNomenca.